| First Author | Coate TM | Year | 2015 |
| Journal | Elife | Volume | 4 |
| PubMed ID | 26302206 | Mgi Jnum | J:226819 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5698603 | Doi | 10.7554/eLife.07830 |
| Citation | Coate TM, et al. (2015) Neuropilin-2/Semaphorin-3F-mediated repulsion promotes inner hair cell innervation by spiral ganglion neurons. Elife 4 |
| abstractText | Auditory function is dependent on the formation of specific innervation patterns between mechanosensory hair cells (HCs) and afferent spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). In particular, type I SGNs must precisely connect with inner HCs (IHCs) while avoiding connections with nearby outer HCs (OHCs). The factors that mediate these patterning events are largely unknown. Using sparse-labeling and time-lapse imaging, we visualized for the first time the behaviors of developing SGNs including active retraction of processes from OHCs, suggesting that some type I SGNs contact OHCs before forming synapses with IHCs. In addition, we demonstrate that expression of Semaphorin-3F in the OHC region inhibits type I SGN process extension by activating Neuropilin-2 receptors expressed on SGNs. These results suggest a model in which cochlear innervation patterns by type I SGNs are determined, at least in part, through a Semaphorin-3F-mediated inhibitory signal that impedes processes from extending beyond the IHC region. |
